Search Through Grants for Small Nonprofits in Massachusetts in the U.S.

Rockland Trust is founded on a set of core values.

We build strong relationships with our customers, helping business owners grow their companies, and helping individual consumers be successful by providing straightforward products and convenient service. Our success is based on having respectful and knowledgeable bankers, as well as robust technology available to our customers. These values instilled within our company are reflected in our level of service as well as our ongoing commitment to our community.

At Rockland Trust each relationship matters. No matter large or small, old or new, we are committed to serving and meeting every customer’s needs. As a result, we have very loyal customers who stay with us, deepen their relationship, and tell their friends about Rockland Trust.Rockland Trust

Rockland Trust's philanthropic mission is to strengthen the communities served by Rockland Trust Bank, enabling individuals and their families to access opportunity and improve the quality of their lives.

Advancing Sustainable Communities

Since 2002, we’ve been empowering local communities with sustainability solutions. Through nonprofit partnerships and sustainability grants, we’ve delivered projects promoting renewable energy, energy efficiency, resource conservation and environmental stewardship.

Mission

"Choose wisely. It's a small planet." That's how it all started back in 1997, when a crew of like-minded folks in Vermont set out on a mission: to use the power of consumer choice and help change the way power is made. Over 20 years later, we’re proud to be a carbon-neutral company that continues to keep sustainability at the heart of everything we do. Join us as we help make the planet a cleaner, greener place to be.

Sustainability Grants

If you’re a U.S.-based nonprofit looking to make a positive environmental impact and you want access to a network of sustainability experts, it’s time to plant seeds of sustainability in your community.

Eligible Sustainability Initiatives

In addition to supporting rooftop solar installation projects, we've expanded our mission to support other sustainability initiatives that include but aren't limited to:

• Clean Transportation
• Education and Awareness
• Energy Efficiency
• Renewable Energy
• Resource Conservation
• Sustainable Agriculture

We’re open to new, creative ideas from nonprofit organizations interested in utilizing and promoting sustainability initiatives.

Selection Process - Impact Measurement

We measure environmental, social and financial impacts:

• Environmental impact calculations consider how the project is more impactful for the planet than the alternative.
• Examples: CO2 prevented (renewable versus traditional generation methods), miles not driven, gallons of water conserved, green space created, pounds of waste diverted.
• Social impact calculations assess how the project will elicit change in the community.
• Examples: results of an email or newsletter story about the project, number of students impacted through curriculum, attendee numbers on sustainability tours.
• Financial impact calculations assess how the project will save your organization money, and how those savings can further support your mission.
• Example: a solar array would save your organization $2,000 per year, resulting in 100 more meals distributed to the homeless or 30 more children receiving free tuition.

Award Amounts

Donation amounts depend on a number of factors, including evaluation of the environmental, social, and financial impact of the donation. Past donations have ranged from $50,000 to $400,000.

Areas of Giving

• Health Care Support
• Education Support
• Human Services
• Youth & Amateur Athletics Support
• Art & Culture Support
• Conservation & Wildlife Support

Transformational Capital Grant

Transformational Capital Grants provide major funding for nonprofit organizations to permanently and vastly improve their mission delivery by supporting the development of physical spaces that make a meaningful difference in enabling them to provide high-quality, impactful programs and services to those they serve. Grant amounts are up to $5 million, payable over multiple years.

These grants are extremely competitive, and the most compelling Initial Proposals will demonstrate completion of analyses to validate the project need and viability; strong Board commitment as demonstrated with a board-approved plan and community support; progress toward key regulatory benchmarks; at least 50% of the project costs pledged or received; and culminate with a milestone (groundbreaking, dedication, or similar) within one year of the Initial Proposal submission. Additionally, Initial Proposals should reflect a nonprofit’s strong leadership and proven impact in providing direct services and programs for unmet needs in underserved regions aligned with the Yawkey Foundation’s Giving Areas and geographic priority areas, including Gateway Cities in Eastern Massachusetts.

The approximate timeframe for reviewing Transformational Capital Grant Initial Proposals in order to determine which nonprofits will be invited to submit a Grant Application is 12-18 months, however the time period between Initial Proposal and application may vary depending upon the complexity of the project. The Yawkey Foundation is unable to provide feedback during the review period and will reach out to a nonprofit should further information be required for the Initial Proposal.

Background

With funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under Section 320 of the Clean Water Act, MassBays provides small grants to nonprofit organizations, academic institutions, and municipalities for projects that advance progress toward the goals of our Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan. We seek proposals that will fill in gaps in knowledge about our assessment areas, demonstrate new approaches to monitoring or protecting near-shore habitats, or lay the groundwork for future restoration.

Through the Healthy Estuaries Grant Program, MassBays will provide funding and technical support to those working in near-shore waters and coastal communities from Salisbury to Provincetown to:

• Characterize estuary, rocky intertidal, and beach habitats and biological communities.
• Document the impacts of human and natural stressors on those systems.
• Evaluate effectiveness of habitat restoration efforts already implemented.
• Design and scope larger restoration projects for subsequent state or federal funding, especially in underserved communities.

MASSBAYS SHORT-TERM PRIORITIES

Support policy and planning

• Prioritize, plan, or implement coastal infrastructure projects that result in habitat or water quality improvements.
• Conduct regional/watershed-based coastal restoration prioritization.
• Collect habitat and water quality data to inform state & local condition assessments.

Address research & data gaps

Climate change

• Influence on pollution and water quality
• Considerations for restoration of submerged aquatic vegetation and salt marsh
• Coastal acidification characterization and impacts
• Sentinel species assessments and/or documentation of population shifts
• Examine changing sediment budgets to forecast restoration needs

Water quality

• Determine water quality thresholds that optimize health of coastal habitats
• Investigate connections between water quality and habitat loss
• Expand existing freshwater monitoring programs to include estuarine systems
• Conduct marine benthic community assessments
• Assess emerging contaminants (PFAS, PPCPs)

Habitat condition

• Investigate the cause(s) of habitat deterioration and possible actions to improve conditions
• Investigate impacts of habitat loss on key ecosystem services
• Expand video-enabled diadromous fish run monitoring
• Conduct habitat restoration-related monitoring to inform future restoration efforts

Data products & analysis

• Digitize and conduct QA/QC assessments on historic data and upload to EPA’s Water Quality Portal
• Analyze crowdsourced data (e.g., MassWrack, iNaturalist observations) to characterize conditions in MassBays
• Pilot innovative technologies and approaches to collecting, managing, and sharing monitoring and restoration data.

Evaluate impact

• Effectiveness of restoration, education, and outreach, and other actions that garner support from communities and stakeholders
• Qualitative and quantitative benefits of CCMP-related (including Healthy Estuaries Grant-funded) programs and projects

Cummings $30 Million Grant Program

Cummings Foundation has awarded more than $600 million to date in greater Boston. In 2026, it will grant an additional $30 million. These funds will be shared by 150 local-area nonprofits and will be awarded as multi-year grants, to be paid over either three or 10 years.

Priority Funding Causes

The Cummings $30 Million Grant Program funds a wide variety of local causes related to:

Human services

• housing and food security, anti-poverty, disabilities, employment training, immigrant/refugee assistance, legal assistance, senior citizens, strong families/communities, youth activities/services

Social justice

• equity, anti-hate, opportunity gap remediation, representation

Education

• K-12/college, mentoring/tutoring, out-of-school time, complementary programs

Healthcare

• hospitals/clinics, mental health

The Environment

• environmental education, equitable access to outdoor spaces, recycling/waste reduction, sustainable agriculture and food systems (This program does not currently consider requests for research, land preservation, and large capital projects)

Who We Are

The William and Bertha Schrafft Charitable Trust is committed to the intellectual, personal and artistic growth of underserved youth ages 6-21 primarily through supporting neighborhood-based education programming throughout the City of Boston. In addition, the Trust has a special interest in building effective pathways to economic independence for underserved populations of the City of New Bedford through education, entrepreneurship and economic development. We strive to support efforts that help young people develop the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in school and lay the foundation for satisfying and productive lives.

Schrafft Charitable Trust Grants

The Schrafft Trust provides Program Grants or General Operating Grants to nonprofit 501(C)3 organizations; incorporated in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts which help young people develop the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in school and beyond.

The Schrafft Charitable Trust prioritizes small to medium-sized, community-based organizations, charter and district schools in Boston and New Bedford that provide effective youth development, academic enrichment and/or arts and culture programming for underserved populations ages 6-21. We look for organizations led by board members and staff who are representative of the community served and who are actively engaged in diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.

The Trust also funds a small number of organizations in New Bedford that leverage the strengths of the region (e.g. its people, culture, history, agriculture, fishing and seacoast resources) to provide pathways to economic independence for underserved youth or young adult populations.

For Returning Grantees

If your organization has received funding from the Schrafft Charitable Trust within the last three years, you may apply directly with a full proposal.

Areas of Giving

• Health Care Support
• Education Support
• Human Services
• Youth & Amateur Athletics Support
• Art & Culture Support
• Conservation & Wildlife Support

Strategic Investment Grant

Strategic Investment Grants support nonprofit organizations catalyzing plans around strategic growth, which may entail a reimagining, rescoping, or re-energizing of mission delivery for long-term optimized impact. Grant amounts range from $250,000 to $1 million, most often payable over multiple years.

Strategic Investment Grants may fund a nonprofit’s regional expansion (within Yawkey Foundation geographic priority areas), synergistic collaborations between two or more nonprofits for improved program or service delivery, and mergers or consolidations of organizations in transition. These grants may advance a nonprofit’s efforts around the feasibility and progress of a strategic plan.

These grants are extremely competitive, Initial Proposals should reflect a nonprofit’s strong leadership and proven impact in providing direct services and programs for unmet needs in underserved regions aligned with the Yawkey Foundation’s geographic priority areas, including Gateway Cities in Eastern Massachusetts. Initial Proposals for Strategic Investment Grants should demonstrate that a nonprofit’s Board has made a commitment to and has approved the strategic initiative.

The timeframe for reviewing Strategic Investment Grant Initial Proposals in order to determine which nonprofits will be invited to submit a Grant Application is between 6-12 months. The Yawkey Foundation is unable to provide feedback during the review period, and will reach out to a nonprofit should further information be required for the Initial Proposal.

Areas of Giving

• Health Care Support
• Education Support
• Human Services
• Youth & Amateur Athletics Support
• Art & Culture Support
• Conservation & Wildlife Support

Program and Small Capital Grants

Program and Small Capital Grants support high-impact, strategic, and innovative nonprofit organizations in delivering on their core missions. Grant amounts are up to $100,000, most often paid over one year.

Program and Small Capital Grants may fund programming, one small project, or a piece of equipment aligned with a nonprofit’s purpose. These grants are extremely competitive, and the Yawkey Foundation will receive many more compelling Initial Proposals than it will be able to fund. Initial Proposals should demonstrate an awareness of and alignment to the Yawkey Foundation’s mission and Areas of Giving. Additionally, the most competitive Initial Proposals will reflect a nonprofit’s strong leadership and proven impact in providing direct services and programs for unmet needs in underserved regions aligned with the Yawkey Foundation’s geographic priority areas, including Gateway Cities in Eastern Massachusetts.

The timeframe for reviewing Program & Small Capital Grant Initial Proposals in order to determine which nonprofits will be invited to submit a Grant Application is between 90-120 days. The Yawkey Foundation is unable to provide feedback during the review period, and will reach out to a nonprofit should further information be required for the Initial Proposal.

Richard and Susan Smith Family Foundation

We are a private family foundation awarding more than $12.4 million in grants  to over 278 organizations in Greater Boston and Gateway Cities.

Our Mission

Our mission is to effect permanent positive change in the lives of individuals and families across Greater Boston, especially in economically disadvantaged communities.

We invest in organizations that improve human health, raise educational attainment, increase economic security, and meet community needs.

We believe in engaged, multigenerational family philanthropy as a means to have greater impact and to honor our family’s philanthropic legacy.

Small Capital Grants

Our Small Capital Grants program provides $25,000 to $100,000 grants for one-time capital expenses that strengthen a nonprofit’s ability to serve its clients and achieve its mission.

This support is particularly valuable because nonprofits can find it difficult to make these investments through their operating budgets.

Background

Mabel Louise Riley, the Foundation’s donor, was born in 1883 in Boston. Miss Riley was an active patron of the arts and especially enjoyed the beautiful gardens at her homes in Newton and Cotuit on Cape Cod. Generous and concerned for the needs of others throughout her lifetime, she gave regularly to numerous charities in the Boston area.

In establishing a general purpose foundation, Miss Riley’s only suggestion to her trustees was that particular consideration be given to the needs of children and youth. The Mabel Louise Riley Foundation began operation as an active member of Boston’s philanthropic community in May 1972.

Purpose The purpose of the Family Strengthening Small Grants Fund is to support activities and projects in the greater Dudley area that build, strengthen, and support families. Funding PrioritiesThe Family Strengthening Small Grants Fund will give high priority to projects and activities which focus on: 

• mending the social fabric of the neighborhood; 
• building, strengthening, and supporting personal and family development;
• broadening the horizons of individuals and families;
• removing barriers to employment;
• increasing parental involvement;
• beautifying outdoor spaces; and
• community engagement.

Examples of Family Strengthening Activities

Strategies might include: 

• out-of-school activities for youth or intergenerational activities; 
• parenting seminars;
• life skills workshops (cooking, sewing, etc.);
• support groups and services for single parents;
• community support for reintegrating residents from situations such as recovery, incarceration, etc.; or
• neighborhood cleanups.

Funding

Anticipated funding will be in the range of $500 – $5,000 per grant. 

Background

Mabel Louise Riley, the Foundation’s donor, was born in 1883 in Boston. Miss Riley was an active patron of the arts and especially enjoyed the beautiful gardens at her homes in Newton and Cotuit on Cape Cod. Generous and concerned for the needs of others throughout her lifetime, she gave regularly to numerous charities in the Boston area.

In establishing a general purpose foundation, Miss Riley’s only suggestion to her trustees was that particular consideration be given to the needs of children and youth. The Mabel Louise Riley Foundation began operation as an active member of Boston’s philanthropic community in May 1972.

Program Interests

The Mabel Louise Riley Foundation is a general-purpose foundation with a special interest in supporting the needs of low-income children and youth and their families.  The foundation supports a broad range of programs, particularly in the areas of education and human services, and neighborhood revitalization.  

Current more specialized areas of interest include:

• Arts access programs for underserved communities
• Support for foster care children and those aging out of the system
• Vocational Education and job training
• Affordable housing and shelter for vulnerable families

Types of Support and Grant Size

Grants are made in support of new projects and organizations, program expansion, and for capital projects.  The trustees are interested in leveraging their grants by funding programs that can become self-sufficient or may serve as a model in other geographic areas.

One-year grants normally fall in the range of $50,000 to $100,000.

JMAC Access Grant Program

Providing resources to support artists and organizations in presenting their projects at the Jean McDonough Arts Center.

The Jean McDonough Arts Center, in partnership with the Greater Worcester Community Foundation, and thanks to the support of the Barr Foundation, is pleased to announce the continuation of the JMAC Access Grant Program.

The JMAC strives to ensure that every cultural organization, large and small, can have a home in downtown Worcester. The venue has proven especially critical for Worcester’s BIPOC and underserved artists – by helping artists create new work, generate income, and positively impact their community. Through the Access Grant Program, selected nonprofit cultural organizations and individual artists will receive the resources needed to create their stories and programs at the JMAC to share with Central Massachusetts audiences.

Through a three-phase application process, organizations and artists can apply for financial support to present their projects at the JMAC in the near future. The grant covers project development, implementation and marketing costs incurred by the organizations and artists, as well as the usage costs of the JMAC space desired for the project.

Funding

In both application rounds, the requested budget will reflect only the organization’s or artist’s discretionary expenses, and exclude expenses related to rental or usage of the JMAC. When grants are awarded, recipients will receive direct payment for their discretionary expenses. Concurrently, the JMAC will receive payment for their rental and usage expenses, at the following rates:

• Worcester PopUp, One Day: $2,500
• Worcester PopUp, One Week: $3,500
• BrickBox Theater, Half Day (6 Hours): $3,750
• BrickBox Theater, Full Day (Up to 12 Hours): $6,250
• BrickBox Theater, Two Days: $8,750
• BrickBox Theater, Four Days: $14,250

BCBSM Foundation Catalyst Fund

The Catalyst Fund provides one-time non-renewable grants up to $7,500 for a twelve-month period to help community-based organizations strengthen their capacity to expand access to health and health care in Massachusetts. Since 2002, the Catalyst Fund has distributed nearly $2.5 million in grants to health centers, clinics, health care advocacy groups, and community-based organizations. The Catalyst Fund is made possible entirely with donations from employees of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts. 

Context

Nonprofit organizations that serve the health and health-related needs of people with low income and residents of Massachusetts who have been economically, socially, or racially marginalized, often operate with limited resources and capacity to entirely fulfill the needs of community members and staff. As a result, launching new initiatives to strengthen their infrastructure, or taking time to plan for the future, can be a luxury. The Catalyst Fund is intended to help organizations pay for these types of capacity building activities and as its name implies, help spark innovation. As such, the Catalyst Fund does not fund ongoing programmatic expenses, or general operating costs, such as salaries. 

Key Program Elements and Eligibility Criteria

The Catalyst Fund provides one-year, non-renewable grant awards up to $7,500 to Massachusetts community-based and/or grassroots organizations to address a health or health-related component of their work. Grant funds can be used for expenses that support the organization to strengthen their infrastructure, build capacity, or prepare for the future. From hiring a trainer on best practices in trauma-informed or equitable service delivery, to crafting a fundraising plan to make fresh produce freely available to families with low income, and for purchasing technology to support health education outreach to residents who speak languages other than English – these small one-time, fast-turnaround grants can make a lasting and outsized impact on organizations and the clients they serve.

The Foundation will accept applications from community-based organizations, community health centers, and social service organizations, even from those for which health is not a core activity or emphasis, if the proposed work has a compelling connection to health or health care.

Mission

Our mission at the Community Foundation is to improve the quality of life in North Central Massachusetts through philanthropy.

We support the work of local nonprofit organizations.

One way we do this is by awarding grants to programs, projects, and initiatives within our 33-community region.

These competitive grants are awarded to nonprofit organizations whose programs, projects, or initiatives address the grant program’s objectives and align with the funding guidance. Nonprofit organizations may apply to multiple grant programs each year, but we will only accept one application per organization per grant program.

We do allow organizations that have a fiscal sponsor to apply for our grants.

Proposal Principles

Proposals for grants are expected to address each of the following principles:

• Capacity for impact: Demonstrate capacity and potential for achieving and sustaining long-term impact.
• Plan of action: Include a plan of action with evidence that the plan is likely to achieve its intended outcomes.
• Collaboration: We encourage collaboration to leverage new and/or existing resources, organizations, relationships, initiatives, and investments to improve the likelihood of significant impact, efficiency, and sustainability.
• Tracking impact: Include measurable objectives and outcomes with a plan and tools to monitor progress.

Grant Making

The Community Foundation annually awards grants to local nonprofits in the areas of environment and animal welfare, education and career readiness, community enrichment, organizational development, community health, and racial equity.

Organizational Development Program Objectives

For the current cycle, the organizational development grant program will support small capital needs that strengthen and improve nonprofit organizational efficiency and effectiveness.

Examples include:

• Furniture
• Equipment
• Technology
• Facility improvements

What does this program do?

This program is designed to provide technical assistance and training for small rural businesses. Small means that the business has fewer than 50 new workers and less than $1 million in gross revenue.

What is an eligible area?

Rural Business Development Grant money must be used for projects that benefit rural areas or towns outside the urbanized periphery of any city with a population of 50,000 or more. Check eligible areas. 

What kind of funding is available?

There is no maximum grant amount; however, smaller requests are given higher priority. There is no cost sharing requirement. Opportunity grants are limited to up to 10 percent of the total Rural Business Development Grant annual funding.

How may funds be used?

Enterprise grants must be used on projects to benefit small and emerging businesses in rural areas as specified in the grant application. Uses may include:

• Training and technical assistance, such as project planning, business counseling and training, market research, feasibility studies, professional or/technical reports or producer service improvements.
• Acquisition or development of land, easements, or rights of way; construction, conversion, renovation of buildings; plants, machinery, equipment, access for streets and roads; parking areas and utilities.
• Pollution control and abatement.
• The capitalization of revolving loan funds, including funds that will make loans for start-ups and working capital.
• Distance adult learning for job training and advancement.
• Rural transportation improvement.
• Community economic development.
• Technology-based economic development.
• Feasibility studies and business plans.
• Leadership and entrepreneur training.
• Rural business incubators.
• Long-term business strategic planning.

Opportunity grants can be used for:

• Community economic development.
• Technology-based economic development.
• Feasibility studies and business plans.
• Leadership and entrepreneur training.
• Rural business incubators.
• Long-term business strategic planning.

Mission

The Lloyd G. Balfour Foundation was established in 1973. The Foundation's 3 primary focus areas reflect Mr. Balfour's strong affinity for the employees of the Balfour Company, his commitment to the city of Attleboro, Massachusetts, and his lifelong interest in education. Specifically, the Balfour Foundation supports:

• Educational scholarships to employees of the Balfour Company, as well as to their children and grandchildren
• Organizations serving the people of Attleboro, with special consideration given to those organizations that provide educational, human services and health care programming for underserved populations
• Educational organizations that serve New England

Focus Area

Attleboro-Specific Charities

The Foundation supports organizations that specifically serve the people of Attleboro, with special consideration given to organizations that provide educational, human services and health care programming for underserved populations.

Mr. Balfour asked the trustee to make grants to charitable organizations that serve the residents of the City of Attleboro, with a priority for those organizations that “[further] education, hospitalization or medical and surgical research.” As such, the Foundation will consider applications for a broad range of human services needs in Attleboro with a priority for education and medical services. 

Thematic Areas

In all our areas of geographic focus, we support communities in the stewardship of their landscapes and seascapes and the biocultural diversity found in these places.

We welcome inquiries from nonprofit organizations working to:

• Conserve terrestrial and marine biological diversity.
• Sustain cultural diversity, linguistic diversity, and traditional knowledge systems and practices.
• Maintain ecosystem services (including, water, soil, and carbon sequestration).
• Support food sovereignty and economic vitality of local communities.
• Sustain healthy reefs and fisheries.

And, in coastal communities along the North Shore of Massachusetts, in addition to the thematic areas listed above, we support artistic expression projects that at their core:

• Raise awareness of an issue or catalyze action.
• Help promote the protection of the environment.
• Help foster community diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Approaches

We support community-based projects that seek to meet their objectives in a variety of ways. Among the kinds of approaches we support are those concerned with:

Among the kinds of approaches we support are those concerned with:

• Creating and/or ensuring effective management of terrestrial and marine protected areas, in particular where governance is led by communities (e.g., Indigenous Peoples’ and Community-Conserved Areas and Territories [ICCAs]).
• Ecological restoration involving native species, prioritizing efforts linked to existing conservation areas already valued by communities (e.g., a watershed, community forest, or sacred grove).
• Providing enhanced and alternative livelihoods to support local economies and community well-being (e.g., through agroecology and non-timber forest products).
• Environmental education that draws on Indigenous and local traditions and languages to address present-day problems.
• Use of the arts and other innovative methods to convey social and environmental messages.
• Fostering civic engagement of communities through creative facilitation and other methods (e.g., community-mapping exercises).

Since 1986, The Trust for the Meditation Process has encouraged the practice of inner, silent awareness, whether it's called meditation, mindfulness or contemplative prayer. Our financial grants to non-profit organizations renew contemplative Christianity, promote health and wholeness, and bring silence and stillness to a hectic world.  

Contemplative Christianity Grants

Many people think of meditation as an exclusively Eastern religious practice. But Western religion, too, has a long tradition of silent, non-discursive prayer, often called contemplation, which is rooted in a rich mystical literature. Contemporary thinkers are unearthing this tradition. Their fresh encounter with the Gospels and mystics emphasizes that God is a living presence in us – to be known in silence and love and manifested in our acts of compassion.

• Grants made in the Contemplative Christianity Program have these objectives:  
• Introduce or expand the teaching and practice of Christian contemplative practices, such as Christian Meditation or Centering Prayer.
• Focus on silent, non discursive meditation rather than another aspect or method of prayer or spiritual formation.
• Connect with a Christian audience or have a Christian context.
• Identify and support emerging scholars and leaders in Contemplative Christianity and Christian mysticism.
• Raise the profile of Contemplative Christianity, with language and programs that speak to all Christian denominations and that reconnect people to Christian contemplative traditions.
• Reach underserved populations, such as children, teens, and young adults, people of color, people who are LGBTQ, people with low incomes and people facing addictions, illness, trauma or loss.
• Encourage dialogue among contemplative traditions in all religions.

Mindfulness Grants

Thirty years ago, Jon Kabat-Zinn and his colleagues at the University of Massachusetts medical school adapted classic forms of meditation found in most religions for a modern, secular audience. A simple practice of paying silent attention to the present moment formed the core of their efforts to help people improve physical and emotional health. 

Since then, a large and rigorous body of research has shown that a regular practice of mindfulness meditation can change us in many significant ways: improving immune function, reducing stress, reducing pain and symptoms of chronic disease, improving sleep, improving attention, fostering self- care and compassion, and the list continues to grow. Today, an ever widening interest in the benefits of mindfulness practice has led to its introduction in many fields and professions.  

Grants made in the Mindfulness Program have both of these objectives:

Introduce or expand mindfulness meditation through educational or human service nonprofits or government entities, such as K-12 public schools, colleges and universities, correctional facilities, rehabilitation programs, healthcare, counseling and case management services.

Reach underserved populations, such as children, teens, and young adults, BIPOC and LGBTQ communities, people in the criminal justice system, people with low incomes, and people facing addictions, illness, trauma or loss.

Mindfulness Program grants are highly competitive and we generally receive more applications than we can award. 

Grant Guidelines

Our focus is short-term projects where a small grant can make a credible impact and result in clearly identifiable outcomes. We make 20 to 40 grants annually. Initial awards are typically small – $3,000 to $5,000.

The type of projects we fund includes:

• Meditation courses, workshops, lectures or retreats.
• Trainings, sabbaticals, retreats and other development for meditation teachers.
• Meditation curriculum development.
• Books, supplies and equipment for meditation programs.
• Efforts to expand and build the capacity of meditation programs and address barriers to practice. 
• Meditation research, especially the development of simple, effective, accessible evaluation tools.
• Publications that effectively spread critical perspectives on meditation and meet an important gap in the current literature.
• East/West meditation dialogue.

Food Security Infrastructure Grant Program

Funding for projects that ensure that farmers, fishermen, and other local food producers are better connected to a strong, resilient food system while providing greater, more equitable access to local food.

Background

Food Security is defined as access, by all people at all times, to enough food for an active, healthy life (USDA, 2020).

The FSIG Program seeks to ensure that farmers, commercial fishermen, and other local food producers are better engaged with a strong, resilient food system to help mitigate food supply and distribution disruptions, as well as to ensure that individuals and families throughout the Commonwealth have equitable access to food, with a focus on food that is produced locally.

Eligible grantees include applicants that are part of the Massachusetts local food system including producers, processors, and distributors; emergency food distributors; community and food organizations; school meal programs (including summer meal sponsors); urban farms and community gardens; and nonprofit food security organizations. Applicants may be those representing farms, small, independent grocery stores, food banks, commercial fishing operations, seafood dealers and processors, and other food system businesses or organizations focused on addressing food access and/or improving and strengthening the resiliency of the Commonwealth’s food system by increasing distribution of Locally Grown Food.

Funding

This call for grant proposals is subject to and contingent upon the availability of funds. Funding is anticipated to be awarded in amounts up to $1,000,000. Applicants requesting over $10,000 are required to demonstrate a of 20% cash match of total project costs.

James W. Blake "Catalyst" Award

Accelerating growth & impact in the local community 

James W. Blake served as President and CEO for HarborOne Bank for over 25 years. During his tenure, the Bank grew from$ 458 million to $4.5 billion in assets. Through this tremendous period of growth, Jim remained committed to the people and communities where HarborOne Bank had a presence. Jim lent his time, talent and voice to numerous local and state-wide organizations and encouraged staff and Bank leadership to do the same. Under Jim’s leadership, HarborOne established a first of its kind financial education center serving over 20,000 individuals and businesses, a robust college scholarship program which invests $1M in promising area students, and the HarborOne Foundations serving Massachusetts & Rhode Island that have donated over $5 Million to local nonprofit organizations. Beyond the time, wisdom and financial support, Jim served as a model for all who have had the pleasure to work with him, as he treated any and all with respect and dignity. As a social entrepreneur and business leader, Jim is a believer in the value of investing in quality organizations and watching them grow and make an impact in the cities and towns served by HarborOne.

Award Purpose

The annual James W. Blake “Catalyst” Award is intended to assist a local organization in dramatically accelerating their organizational development, impact and reach. The award will support transformative projects or small but critical capital projects that will have a substantial effect on the organization and who they serve.

Investment Focus Areas

Mission

The Robert J. Mullen Charitable Trust was established in 1998 and began grantmaking in 2022. The Mullen Charitable Trust supports organizations and programs that “provide aid or assistance to disabled children, the elderly or infirm, or which provide care for and protection from cruelty to animals.” The Trust supports nonprofit organizations serving Massachusetts communities.

Program interests include:

• Aid or assistance for children with disabilities
• Aid or assistance for older adults, or adults with disabilities
• Care and protection of animals

Guidelines

The Robert J. Mullen Charitable Trust's application deadline is June 1. Grant applicants will be notified of grant decisions by the end of September.

Aid or assistance to children with disabilities or older adults may be for physical and/or mental disabilities/mental health programs.

Grant requests for general operating support or program support are encouraged. Small, program-related capital expenses may be included in general operating or program requests. Agencies with organizational budgets over $10MM are discouraged from seeking general operating support, unless their entire operation is devoted to one of the three program interests outlined under mission.

Typical grants range from $20,000 to $50,000 per grant year.

The majority of grants from The Robert J. Mullen Charitable Trust are 1 year in duration. On occasion, multi-year support is awarded.

Mission

The Lloyd G. Balfour Foundation was established in 1973. The Foundation's 3 primary focus areas reflect Mr. Balfour's strong affinity for the employees of the Balfour Company, his commitment to the city of Attleboro, Massachusetts, and his lifelong interest in education. Specifically, the Balfour Foundation supports:

• Educational scholarships to employees of the Balfour Company, as well as to their children and grandchildren
• Organizations serving the people of Attleboro, with special consideration given to those organizations that provide educational, human services and health care programming for underserved populations
• Educational organizations that serve New England

Focus Area

Educational Organizations

The Foundation's educational funding is generally focused on organizations or programs that provide support for underserved or under-represented populations to prepare for, access and succeed in higher education, including 2-year and 4-year institutions.

It is clear that Mr. Balfour was interested in supporting students for successful completion of college. As such, the Foundation focuses its grantmaking in the New England area on programs that support college readiness, access, and success. The Foundation is most interested in programs that support students all the way into and through post-secondary credential attainment (2- or 4-year credentials). Programs within institutions of higher education aimed at attracting, supporting, and retaining (through successful completion) under-served and under-represented populations are also of interest. In this area, we will consider applications that request scholarship funds, if those scholarships are part of a broader set of services and supports.

About Us

Created in 1992, the Wellington Management Foundation donates money and volunteer time to more than 125 nonprofit community organizations that support youth in under-resourced communities in the North American and Asia-Pacific cities where we have offices. These organizations provide access to best-in-class educational programs and services, enhancing opportunities for future success.

In 2016, the Wellington Management UK Foundation was created to support organizations in both the UK and Europe. Wellington Management Foundation Grant.

The Wellington Management Foundation is an independent corporate foundation funded by Wellington, as well as current and former employees, who give generously to support a portfolio of nonprofit educational organizations. The Foundation is run by an advisory board which includes a chair and vice chair. All members of the advisory board are current or former Wellington employees. In addition, the Foundation relies on employee volunteers each year to conduct due diligence on grant applications and build long-term relationships with the community organizations funded.

Our Belief

We believe education is a critical lever in creating opportunities for equitable outcomes, including social and economic mobility.

Our Mission

We support best-in-class programs and organizations in our communities that are improving education and educational opportunities for youth from traditionally underserved and historically marginalized communities.

Our Portfolio

We support organizations across the full educational life-cycle of a student, from early education to career readiness programs, independent and charter schools, district-wide school-based programs, and after-school and summer programs, as well as college access and persistence programs.

Annual Grant

Every year we award grants to growth orientated small to medium organizations working to close the opportunity and achievement gaps for youth in traditionally underserved communities in North America and Asia-Pacific cities where Wellington has offices.

Our US Foundation funds programs that provide youth from traditionally under-resourced communities with access to high-quality academic programs and educational opportunities. We believe a strong academic foundation can provide a clear and positive path for the lives of young people. Accordingly, the US Foundation primarily aims to select organizations and programs that support:

• Academic improvement:
  • Educational tutoring and mentoring
  • Study skills programs
  • Technology-based initiatives
  • Mental health support
• Educational transitions:
  • School readiness programs
  • High school access and success programs
  • College access and success programs
• Extended learning time:
  • Out-of-school-time programs
  • Schools that operate extended hours
  • Programs that operate within schools to enhance curricula
• Career readiness:
  • Career and technical training models for linked learning
  • Workforce development programs

The US-based Wellington Management Foundation gives annual grants to programs that improve the educational opportunities for youth in traditionally underserved and economically challenged communities in eastern Massachusetts, the greater Philadelphia area, Chicago, the San Francisco Bay area, Toronto, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Sydney. The Grant Recommendation Committee (GRC), which engages employee volunteers to conduct a review of each new applicant and long-term grantee we fund, begins each year in September. Grants are made each December.

About the Oligonucleotide Therapeutics Society (OTS)

The idea for the OTS was conceived in 2001 in a small secluded castle in Tuscany, Italy, by an international group of renowned oligonucleotide scientists. The idea of the founders was to bring together the expertise from different angles of oligonucleotide research to create synergies and to bring the field of oligonucleotides to its full therapeutic potential. A new era of oligonucleotide drugs was envisioned that would change the landscape of therapeutic modalities,very much like the impact that antibodies had on human therapeutics over the last decade.

Incorporated in the State of Massachusetts in 2002 and granted 501(c)6 nonprofit status with the United States Internal Revenue Service in 2003, the Oligonucleotide Therapeutics Society is an open, nonprofit forum to foster academia and industry-based research and development of oligonucleotide therapeutics.

The highly regarded annual OTS meeting draws experts from all over the world for cross-disciplinary exchange spanning expertise in chemistry and delivery, to biology, immunology and clinical medicine. It is the intense scientific exchange between attendees during our annual meetings that sets the stage for groundbreaking new ideas.

Our Mission

The Oligonucleotide Therapeutics Society is an open, nonprofit forum to foster academia and industry-based research and development of oligonucleotide therapeutics.

OTS Awards for Science Outreach and Patient Advocacy 

One of OTS’s core values is to provide trustworthy information to the public, to provide access to experts, and to amplify the voices of patients. In 2022, the society established two awards to recognize outstanding contributions by individuals who share their scientific knowledge with the public, or who promote patient advocacy. The OTS Awards for Science Outreach and Patient Advocacy aim to recognize the efforts of researchers and individuals who excel in these areas. OTS welcomes nominations for both of these awards annually.

Recipients receive:

• $500 USD award & certificate
• Complimentary registration to the current year’s OTS Annual Meeting
• Featured profile on OTS social media
• Option to present a webinar

Project Bread connects people and communities in Massachusetts to reliable sources of food while advocating for policies that make food more accessible—so that no one goes hungry. We make it easier for people to access and afford food with dignity - money for groceries, healthy meals for kids in their schools and all summer long, an expert helping you navigate your options to finally make ends meet. We envision a Massachusetts where hunger is permanently solved for everyone.

Project Bread offers a variety of funding opportunities for anti-hunger organizations and food assistance providers in Massachusetts throughout the year to further our shared mission. We also share relevant grant opportunities from external organizations to further assist our child nutrition partners.

Community Power Fund

Project Bread’s Community Power Fund is a new funding opportunity that supports community-led advocacy, leadership, and movement building to end hunger in Massachusetts. As part of the Make Hunger History (MHH) initiative, this fund is rooted in the belief that ending hunger requires systemic change - not charity. We invest in communities most impacted by food insecurity to build the power, capacity, infrastructure, and leadership needed to drive long-term policy and systems change. This is about shifting narratives, redistributing power, and supporting solutions shaped by those closest to the issue.

The Community Power Fund, through a Request for Proposal (RFP) is seeking strategic investment to build collective power and advance the Make Hunger History Coalition’s vision. Rather than funding standalone programs or direct services, the RFP will support equity-centered, advocacy-driven initiatives that:

• Center community voice and leadership
• Mobilize those most impacted by hunger
• Foster cross-sector collaboration
• Build grassroots capacity for long-term movement work

Projects must align with the Coalition’s strategic priorities and be rooted in authentic, community-driven change. We are seeking proposals from grassroots organizations, mutual aid groups, coalitions, and small nonprofits - especially those led by and serving communities most impacted by hunger and structural inequity, including Black, Brown, immigrant, Indigenous, Trans, and gender-expansive communities. Collaborative applications are encouraged. 

Each grantee will receive a two-year investment of up to $20,000 per year (up to $40,000 in total after 2 years) to support work aligned with the MHH Coalition’s vision. Funds may be used for personnel/stipends, training, events, outreach, communications, materials, technical assistance, and evaluation. Grants are unrestricted and may be applied to areas of greatest need within the scope of the project.

Arts and music are the translators of meaning. For the past two years, our country and city have experienced health, racial, and economic pandemics that will forever change our lives, our thinking and our connections to each other. In this context, we believe that art is a critical force for advancing needed conversations, building belonging, imagining a better future and inspiring us to move towards it. We are proud to once again support visionary performing artists creating new work through Live Arts Boston. 

Now in its sixth year, Live Arts Boston (LAB), created with the support and partnership of the Barr Foundation, supports Greater Boston area artists to test ideas, explore collaborations and build skills in the process of generating new, original work. We invite performing artists, small performing arts organizations, bands, groups of artists, producers and presenters in the Greater Boston area to apply today.  

LAB provides up to $15,000 in project-specific funds to create, produce or present new performing arts work for Greater Boston audiences. In addition to funding, grantees will receive project documentation, one-on-one advising, peer networking opportunities and support for other professional development. 

Funding will support work in dance, theater, music, opera, musical theater, spoken word, performance art, circus arts, traditional and folk performing arts and any multi-disciplinary combination of the above. 

Greater Lawrence Community Fund Grant Guidelines

The Greater Lawrence Community Fund (formerly Merrimack Valley General Fund) provides program support for nonprofit organizations serving four communities in the Greater Lawrence community of Massachusetts.

Funding Priorities

The Greater Lawrence Community Fund directs support to essential needs in four communities in Greater Lawrence: Lawrence, Methuen, Andover and North Andover with a focus on the city of Lawrence. These needs include: hunger, clothing, shelter and education. Shelter is defined as affordable housing or shelter programs, but not actual construction projects. The GLCF Grants Committee looks favorably on collaborative projects.

Selection Criteria

When reviewing proposals, the GLCF Grants Committee considers:

• Programs that meet a documented need, are well planned and include evaluation procedures
• Organizations that have the capacity to support the proposed project and have a sound financial plan.
• Projects that offer the most significant impact for the contribution dollar.
• The project’s potential impact on the participants.
• The needs of the target population.
• Potential for continuation or impact beyond the grant period.

Proposals should demonstrate how the requested funds will be used directly in the program itself or in the building of the organization's physical or governing capacity.

Usually grants are made for specific programs or activities with objectives that can be assessed within a one-year grant period. General operating support is sometimes provided to small organizations (e.g. under $500,000 annual operating budget).